We are all in Eli's office: Eli and Julie, Caleb and Kate, my parents and Alan (Caleb's father and previous Beta), Jackson, Alec, and I.

I don't really know how we ended there. I stayed against Alec, like a ship-wreck survivor hanging to their buoy.

Alec told me to go with Kate to my room once we reach my brother's office, but I can't leave him anymore. I need to have him by my side, close to me. I need to have him safe and to feel safe by his side. That may sound unreasonable and even stupid, but a part of me thinks we are stronger together, more powerful.

I glance at him, and he acts like nothing has happened before. He looks gorgeous, the most handsome man ever. His aura shines with confidence.

Nevertheless, I can sense he worries, but it seems I am the only one. Everybody else just gets what he shows: strength, power, and determination. He incarnates what a true King is to his people.

Everyone is still in shock at what just happened. The boys are around the desk. As current and former Lunas, Julie and my mom stand with them.

I can hear them talking about the chronology of events. Most of the things are explained by Caleb.

Some of our men were in the woods in wolf form to train: our warriors need to perfectly know the territory. They detected a foreigner's scent in the packhouse forest: that should not have happened as other patrols were posted deeper in the woods, closer to our borders. They continued to see, thinking that some of our guests may have partied too much, and left some of their stuff in here as the smell was not that strong.

There were no abandoned clothes: Our warriors were ambushed by wolves that passed undetected by dozens of our best-trained wolves and lycans. The battle started, and strangers ran right to the packhouse. They definitely knew what they were doing.

"How is that only possible? How could they pass patrols and lycans unnoticed? We are on fucking alert, and they just enter the Pack like it's home. Do we have moles? Do we have any fucking explanation for this mess?"

I'm on the couch, still in shock after what happened an hour ago. But I am conscious enough to get my brother's voice to my ears. He is pissed, and so is his wolf. He is the one screaming right now. If Julie wasn't here, he would probably destroy half the room. Jonas hates violence, and today blood was spread. Today, someone tried to take his mate away, killing our people on the way.

It's hard to process, as that's my home, my haven, which was violated. The Pack was attacked. My family. Wolves are dead. A lot of them are hurt. Even some lycans suffer from severe wounds.

No matter who did this, they're part of us for sure. They also learned about Alec and his men: they were ready for them. If there are traitors, it's not just about us; it's about the crown too.

Who could have betrayed us this way? We had no enemies until now. One of the most ancient packs. One of the most peaceful too...

Who would be angered enough to stand against the Prince, and so the King?

I start shaking. Kate is holding my hand to relax me, in vain. Even her Reader's ability can't ease my anxiety. This nervousness is something more profound than the usual fear. It's like it is pacing inside me, going round and round inside my body to find answers.

This is not what we think. We miss some points: what is missing? Why does no one notice it? I tighten my fists; My heartbeats mix with someone else's one. Having two hearts with different rhythms is unpleasant.

Alec comes closer and touches my hand. My heart feels a little warmer. He sits beside me and shapes circles on my hand with his thumb. His warmth covers me, and my heartbeats are back to normal: only one rhythm, adjusting to his. I stare at him. He is just perfect. He turns his head, and his green eyes look into mine. Everything falls into place. His smile helps me to make my mind clearer. He kisses my forehead and keeps on drawing circles on my hand. The pacing anxiety stops, and my body is relaxed again.

"You feel better, little wolf?" Alex murmurs in my ear.

"Yes. Thank you, Alec," I whisper slowly, focusing on his touch and what people say around me.

"We have no survivors, no one to interrogate. We are still looking for possible wounded wolves, but it seems that they are all dead or away," Caleb talks. As the Beta, he already organized our Pack: watches to protect us have already started. New schedules, only known of Eli, Alec, my father, and him.

He looks severe and is a bit angry. I can understand: we have no enemy to help us comprehend who they are, what they want, and how they mastered to enter unseen. That sucks for sure.

Alec takes his phone. He dials some numbers quickly, and it seems the call is picked up straight away. He speaks with a calm voice. At least for everyone who does not know him well or is not his mate.

"Father, we've been under attack." That is all he says before he stops and puts the speakers on.

"What happened, exactly, Alexander?" A warm but dominant voice leaves the phone. Even I react to it.

"As scheduled, we put our warriors with some of the Blue Lakes Pack to watch the area around the packhouse. So it was until earlier today.

While in training, some warriors caught an unusual scent: they went to check, expecting some guests' leftovers. Instead, they were ambushed. Two of them are dead, and one of ours was seriously wounded." Alec keeps on talking with a calm voice, but I can catch his eyes getting darker when he speaks about our casualties.

"Our guards could not notice them coming close?" The King genuinely asks. Not a single clue of accusation in his voice. If he is mad, he is crazy good at hiding it. I notice that everyone in the room gets tense when he speaks, except Jackson, Alec, and me.

"No, Father." Alec gulps as if he is expecting what is coming next.

"What about you, Alec?" I swear I could see Alec blushing for half a second. The amused smile on Jackson's face confirms it.

"I was a little busy with Olivia. And then we met her family for lunch." If the other person on the line wasn't the King, I would probably laugh, but even the human I am knows we don't do that with the King.

"Is she okay? Is OUR princess safe and sound, Alexander Joshua Grayson?" A woman talks on the phone. She is totally scarier than the King, for sure. Damn, I would not like to be facing her right now: despite the apparent calm, I can perceive the rising storm in her.

"Yes, Mother. She was with Jackson. She got a..." Before he can end, the Queen's voice stops him.

"Jackson, no wolf has to reach the future Queen. Am I clear?" The Queen's voice is lighter, but still, I won't try to fight her, ever.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll do my best. If she lets me do my job. She is something, Ma'am," Jackson adds with a serious tone, but the look he gives me is warm and... amused.

"All Queens are. Alexander, listen to your mother and ensure Olivia stays safe until you return home. When do you leave?" The King says, still very calm.

"We can't leave right now. I need more people here. They're strong and organized, and they know how we work: everything is out of our control. I'm fine, but I have not had such a hard time in decades.

Plus, Olivia is not ready to go, and except if you want me to sedate her, she won't leave until her family is safe." He is concerned and fears he could get bloodier.

"Speakers off, Son. Please," the King answers. Alec stops rubbing my hand and grips my hand. I don't hear what he is told, but it makes him nervous.

"We're waiting for the backup to come. Thank you, Father."

Alec hangs up and looks straight into my brother's eyes.

"My father is sending more lycans in here. We will stay here as long as needed until we solve this problem. They will be here tomorrow afternoon. We should get some rest. All of us."

Alec is going away; I catch his hand. He turns to me.

"Liv, look at me."

I can't: my eyes are full of tears. The precise moment he let his hand go off mine, I lost control again. Everything is so blurred. I'm overwhelmed by emotions. He wipes the tears away, puts his hand on my chin, and lifts my head so I can't escape his eyes. He smiles at me, and his eyes are shiny green.

Please, Alec, don't do that.

I wish I could tell him that, but I don't want to remind him he got mated with a weak human. At least, I'm thinking about it. Maybe he will understand.

"Liv, that's okay. I have to talk to your brother a little longer. You go upstairs and wait for me. You're cold, and you're tired. You need to rest." I can't help but tighten my hand around his wrist. He touches my hand and unwraps my fingers so he can free himself.

"I won't be long, and I need no time to come if there is any problem, okay? You heard my mother: she wants you, the future Queen, to be safe and sound." That's when it hits me for the first time. I am the Olivia he talked about. I am the Princess Alec's mother was speaking about.

I nod because my brain cannot process this fact.

Our King and Queen think I am a Princess when I'm not even able to shift. What is going to happen when Alec reveals who I am? That I'm not able to protect myself, so I can't defend my people? They will hate me, and Alec will be forced to abandon me somewhere. I don't want him to leave me.

Alec kisses me as if he feels my distress, and my mum's hand intertwines with mine.

My mum and Kate have to take me out of Eli's office and lead me to Alec's room. I am brain-frozen by the attack, the phone call, and my uncertain future.

"Goodnight, sweetie. Try to get some rest." My mum hugs me and goes back to the first floor to her room.

"Do you want me to stay, Liv?" Kate's sweet voice takes me out of my foggy thoughts. It is so good to hear. She's been quiet since the attack. She was at the school when the attack started. Thankfully, it seems our attackers were not interested in our pups. Yet, I realize how scary it should have been for her.

"No, go find Caleb. You must need him right now." I smile at her. I know all the discussion is between Alec and Eli now. So Caleb must be waiting for her in his room. Some people told me she stayed here last night, and as his mate, she won't probably leave the packhouse ever again.

"Are you sure, sweetie? I can stay until Alec is back, you know. That's okay for me, and Caleb will understand." She really seems to worry, but I don't want her to. I don't think there will be another attack today. Despite our losses, our unknown enemies suffered more than we did. The plan didn't go well on either side.

"Yes, I'm sure. Just go" I smile at Kate before I hug her.

"Thank you for everything, Kate. You're the best friend I could dream of."

"I love you too, Liv. Just call me if you need to, okay?" I let her go, smiling, and then I enter Alec's room.

I don't feel well. I go to the bathroom without turning on the lights in the bedroom. I throw up in the toilets; I am so sick. Nothing seems good. I think someone is trying to send me some positive thoughts, probably Elijah. But I feel too bad to get them. So I flush the toilets and go to the shower, closing my mind.

I turn on the water, take off my clothes, and sit on the cold floor of the shower. The hot drops fall on me, melting with my tears. I close my eyes and see Alec just after the attack...

I hit him as he went out of the woods. He was full of bruises and wounds. I remember the heat of his embrace. But also the smell of blood on him. I could have endured our enemies' blood on him. But his blood... My stomach hurt as I realized even he had been injured during the battle. They could fight the cold Prince. He had protected many of our wolves, and he had become prey for our enemies. He was the man to bring down. This was torture for him. To think he could die. But, thanks to his lycan powers, he healed really fast. Faster than a werewolf would have done.

I remember his giant black wolf. I know him: he looks like the one in my dream. This big black wolf with green piercing eyes in this clearing.

Did you like me, mate?

I'm not familiar with this voice, but I like it very much deep inside me. It is such a melody to my ear, like Alec's one.

I open my eyes, and I am still in the shower: the water is red. Then I realize I must still have some blood on my face and that the water is taking it away.

I soap myself and get out of the shower. Even hot water does not make me feel good, and that dream is not helping. I need some sleep in our bed. I wrap myself in a towel. I remember how Alec wrapped me up last time. I wish he was here.

I go back to the room. I have no pajamas, and I don't want to get back into my shattered room, the floor still shining with blood. I don't know if I will ever want to get back to this room. I open one of Alec's travel bags near the bed. I take one of his shirts and put it on. I'm about to close it when I catch a woman's fragrance: there is a woman's baby doll.

What the fuck?

I take it. I sit on the bed, against the headboard, my knees against my chest. I hold the baby doll in my hand, my nails piercing the cloth. Who is the owner of this thing? Why does he have it in his suitcase? Who dared to touch my mate? How could he do that to me?

I close my eyes. I can feel the tears rolling down my face: they are warm. And I can taste how salty they are as some come straight to my mouth. Again, it just looks like a déjà vu, but this time, my savior is the one breaking my heart. I don't know how much time goes by in this dark room. It seems to last hours, but I don't think that more than a minute or two happened between me finding the dress and this moment.

Someone finally takes the dress away. Arms are moving me so I can lie down. Alec. Why does he smell so good? His arms wrap around my body. Why are they so comforting? He spoons me. I want to yell at him. Tell him he is hiding the truth. Ask him who the fuck is this woman? But no sounds get out of my throat but a moan. Not a moan of anger. Not a moan of jealousy. Just pure sadness.

"It's not what you think it is. I'll tell you tomorrow. You're too tired right now. Just rest. I'm here. Forever, Liv." He kisses my lips and curls his head in my neck, his warm breath against my skin. I close my eyes. Let's try to sleep.

Tomorrow will come fast enough.